( XIV ) 
STATE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH. 
1st Quarter. — 104,339 persons died in the quai-ter, being 6079 in 
excess of the deaths, 98,260, in the corresponding summer quarter 
of the previous year; the rate of mortality-, 2-093 per cent., is below 
the average (2-138). The deaths in the quarter would not have 
exceeded 73,533 if the mortality in sixty-three districts of England, 
by no means in unexceptionable sanitary condition, be taken as the 
standard. The 30,806 deaths in excess are unnatural deaths, the 
results of causes which it is the dnty of every member of the com- 
munity to endeavour- to remove. The mortality of the quarter in 
the small towns and the country parishes was above theii- avei-age, 
to the extent of more than one death annually out of every 1000 
living. In the large town districts the reverse was observed ; the 
mortality having been at the rate of 2 in 1000 less than the average. 
2nd Quarter. — The births exceeded the deaths by 60,641, and that 
was therefore nearly the natural increase of the population in 
92 days. Thus the popxilation of England and AYales increased at 
the rate of 659 daily ; and the probable natural increase of the 
population of the United Kingdom was 988 daily. In the year the 
excess of births over deaths was 248,309, or 680 daily in England 
and \^'ales ; in the United Kingdom the natural increase must have 
exceeded 1000 daily. 109,450 deaths were reg-istered in the last 
quarter of the year 1859, and the mortality was at the rate of 2-189 
per cent, per annum. This is slightly above the average rate 
(2-183) ; but it is much below the rates in the corresponding quar- 
ters of the two pre^'ious years (2-263 and 2-402). In the last year 
441,249 deaths were registered: and the mortality was at the rate 
of 2-235 per cent. ; or rather more than 22^ died out of 1000 living. 
It appears that the deatlis .should not have exceeded 322,616 in the 
year, at what may be provisionally called the natural rate, actually 
prevailing in the sixtj'-three healthy districts. The 118,633 deaths 
in excess of this number were, therefore, unnatxu-al deaths. During 
ten previous autumn quartere the town population, it is found, died 
at the rate of nearly 25 in 1000 ; the counti-\' population at tlie rate 
of 19 in 1000. In the last quarter the mortality of the towns was 
between one and tico in 1000 below the average. This reduction may 
be fairly refeiTcd to the active employment in the manufacturing 
districts, and to the partial sanitary improvements which have been 
made in several large towns. Tliat it is not the effect of the weather, 
or of any universal cause, is proved by the fact tliat in the country 
and small town districts the mortality rose from the average of 19 to 
20 deaths out of 1000 living. 
